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Which Translation of Capital to Read? (hexbear.net)

submitted 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) by Cowbee@hexbear.net to c/asklemmygrad@lemmygrad.ml

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2025 is the year I plan on reading Volumes 1-3 of Capital. I understand that Marxists.org has the Moore/Engels version, but most people seem to prefer the Fowkes translation in Penguin. Recently, there is the Reitter translation of Volume 1 that supposedly uses a later original German edition of Capital as the base than the widely beloved Fowkes translation, but I am not sure if anyone has any experience with it yet.

Which would you recommend for someone diving into Capital for the first time? I'd prefer a physical version (to take notes) but I am not too fussed if its an ebook, I'm not incapable of using a notebook or anything instead of direct annotation.

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[–] yogthos@lemmygrad.ml 5 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Yeah that tracks from my recollection. I do find the style Marx uses can be somewhat painful to follow because he'll keep building up the argument to the point where you start losing track of the whole point being made, and you have to go back and reread earlier parts of the argument. He doesn't bother breaking it up it small chunks you can digest individually.

[–] Cowbee@hexbear.net 5 points 3 months ago

Yea, Marx's thoroughness and repitition certainly comes through in even his shorter texts, I imagine Capital makes this far more pronounced.